The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-03-12
TOLEDO BLADES.
Their Ancient History and Mode
Of Manufacture.

"You are going to do Spain! Would
you mind buying me y real Toledo
bladeP"
This from young bachelor friend,
whose apartments in New York are so
full of 6rjc-d-brac that / dread visiting
him lest an unguarded movement in an
unguarded moment should cost me
fabulous sum to replace q broken
trinket
/ undertook the commission, wonder
ing, as / did 50, where the "trusty steep'
would find resting-place. The ceiling
seemed to be the only available spot,
but sword of Damocles over ones
head! Ugh!
Sunny Spain! Land of Don Quixote
and Dulcina del Toboso; of Mantillas
and Murillo; of dark-eyed senoritas and
naughty hidalgos; of old churches and
Moorish mosques; of bull fights and
boleros; of fans and cigarettes; of bo-
nitas and brigands; of garlic and gra-
cias; of mountain and nlanana-Spain,
the sun-kis3ed There are but two
classes of travellers to be met with in
Spain-those who 60 for climate and
those who go for pleasure; the magnif-
cent climate of the south and east coasts
tempting the one, the BIZARRE scenes of
faded splendor and Old World Incidence
tempting the other. Every body grum-
bles at Spanish discomfort; but every
body leaves Spain with regret and bear
ing souvenirs never to be forgotten,
impressions never to be erased, glories
never to be OWNED.
The most quaint, the most tumble
down, the most naughty, the most in
teresting, the most charming, the most
seductive, the most Old-World city in
sunny Spain is Toledo. There are few
cities which can boast SO ancient an
origin, or the history of which have
been made the groundwork of so many
absurd traditions. Some writers pre-
tend that the jews settled here after
the captivity of Babylon; others attrib-
ute its foundation to Hercules, to Ju-
bal, grandson of Cain, who established
himself on its site one hundred and
forty-three years after the Deluge.
That which is most accurately known
concerning the antiquity of Toledo is,
that it existed two hundred years be-
fore Christ, the Pro-consul, Marcus
Havius, having besieged it in the year
1870 B. c., taken it, and placed it under
Roman jurisdiction.
Since then the city has had varied
history. Captured by the barbarians
of the North, residence of the Kings
of the Visigoths, the Royal City" of
Spain, then taken by the Moors, it
reached the summit of greatness in the
sixteenth century, when it was as pol
ished and educated city as Seville or
Salamanca.
Since the thirteenth century, Toledo
boasts the reputation of speaking the
purest Castilian-a reputation which
she still maintains. But, although To-
ledo has fallen into the sere and yellow
leaf, she is still sufficiently rich in men,
cries, and in monuments of the past, to
console her for having lost her position
in the front rank. There is not q city
in the world that responds so accur-
rately to city of the Middle Ages.
She is the picturesque and romantic
city par excellence; and she is proud,
amongst her other titles to nobility, of
being, like tho Eternal City, built upon
seven hills.
But we have to buy Toledo blade,
and must proceed to the grimy factory
by the side of the yellow, brawling
Tagus. The swords and poinards of
Spain have been renowned in antiquity.
Numerous historians might be quoted
who have testified their faith in them,
even as long ago as the time of Cicero,
who makes honorable mention of the
little Spanish sword.
1t is probable that the manufacture
of swords continued at Toledo till the
epoch of the Goth kings, and it is
certain that it was in full vigor in the
ninth century. These swords served,
without doubt, as q pattern for the
weapons used by the Moors of Spain in
the Middle Ages, which are seen repre-
sented in the pictures at the Alhambra.
The manufacture of swords was not
formerly confded to a single establish
ment as to-day. The espaderoS, or
Sword-makers, worked at their own
homes, alone, or with certain number
Of apprentices Like all commercial
crafts, thoy were bound together in
7renlio, or guild
Many of the kings of CASTLE ac-
oorded to tho finest sword-makers of
Toledo certain privileges-such as ex-
smption from diverse imposts and duties
Rppertaining to the sale of swords, the